Kuzul

Matt Kemp is set to make his first start of the spring today in Glendale, Arizona.  

And though he’s already had five spring at-bats with no hits, Kemp is focused on having a monster year in 2013 for the Dodgers.  

In an injury shortened 2012 season, Kemp still put up great numbers for the Dodgers, hitting .303/.367/.538 with 23 home runs, 69 RBI, nine stolen bases and 74 runs scored in 403 at-bats.

Not quite on pace for record breaking numbers, but a great shortened season nonetheless.

But this also brings up a question that many asked before the start of the 2012 season: Does Matt Kemp have what it takes to hit 50 home runs and steal 50 bases in a single season?

Health will be the first factor in his quest, and according to an interview with Tim Brown of Yahoo! Sports, Kemp is healthy and ready to play everyday:   

Um, me, I’m not worried about numbers…As long as I’m on the field, the numbers probably will be – or should be – there. I just want to stay healthy, that’s it. Everything’s strong. I’ve been working on my legs. Hamstrings feeling good. Shoulder’s feeling good. I’m just working on staying healthy this whole year, playing 162 games.

Well, at least he sounds healthy, but can he—or anyone for that matter—hit 50 home runs and steal 50 bags in a single season?

If anyone can do it, Kemp is definitely the guy that could reach that plateau first.  

In 2011, he was one home run shy of a 40-40 season.  He also led the league in home runs (39), RBI (126) and runs scored (115).  

A great season, definitely, but Kemp wanted more.  During the 2012 offseason, he told Tony Jackson of ESPN.com:

I’m going to go 50-50 next year, I’m telling you, y’all created a monster. I’m about to get back in the weight room super tough so I can be as strong as I was last year.  Forty-forty is tough, so 50-50 will be even tougher, but anything can happen. I have to set my limits high so I can try to get to them as much as I can. I’m going to try for 50-50, which has never been done.

Lofty goals, but you have to admire him for setting the bar so high for himself.  

So what will 2013 bring for Matt Kemp and the Dodgers?  

They sure made a lot of big moves, took the honor of having the highest payroll in baseball and according to many experts, are the favorites to win the National League West.  

But will all this help Kemp achieve his record-breaking goal?

“Heh, what a question…” Kemp told Brown, but “I’m not making no predictions.”

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Okay, call me crazy, but I know I’m right…  

San Diego Padres closer Huston Street will be the late-round fantasy draft closer of the year.

Well, that is if he can stay healthy for a full season.

Street landed on the disabled list two separate times last season—once at the beginning of the year with a right shoulder strain and again on August 10 when he suffered a strained left calf while fielding the final out of a game.  

However, when Street is healthy, the guy is lights out.  

At the time of his August injury, Street hadn’t allowed a run since June 17.  He compiled a 2-1 record with a 1.85 ERA, 23 saves with 47 strikeouts in 39 innings and was also selected as the lone representative for the Padres in the 2012 All-Star Game.  

Okay, so the sample size of Street isn’t enough to dictate a full season of stats.

Before he came to the Padres, Street had a 9-9 record with a 3.50 ERA, 84 saves and 170 strikeouts in 167.1 innings for the Rockies while pitching in hitter-friendly Mile High Stadium.

And before that, he had a 21-12 record with a 2.88 ERA, 94 saves and 271 strikeouts in 269 innings pitching for the Oakland Athletics.

Now in San Diego—though the fences were just recently pulled in—the veteran righty has the advantage of closing in pitcher-friendly Petco Park—an environment historic for favoring pitchers—while under the careful supervision of ex-pitcher and Padres manager, Bud Black.  

It’s safe to say that if Street can remain consistently healthy in 2013, he will add plenty of saves to your fantasy team and will be a great late-round pick in most drafts.   

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The Cleveland Indians should consider trading closer Chris Perez as soon as possible.

According to MLB.com, Perez suffered a subscapularis strain in his throwing shoulder this spring and will probably not return for the next three to four weeks.

During this time, manager Terry Francona should consider Vinnie Pestano as the closer of the staff and the Indians front office should seriously consider trading two-time All-Star Perez.  

“It’s really difficult to replace a closer like Chris,” Indians general manager Chris Antonetti said. “He means a lot to the team, and I’m hopeful we won’t need to. I’m hopeful he’ll be ready to start the season.”

According to Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer, the Giants and the Phillies were both interested in the closer this offseason.  

The Dodgers were also interested in him this winter as the Indians were trying to shop the closer due to his large salary and criticism from both team management and the fanbase.

Perez was in line to represent the United States this year in the upcoming World Baseball Classic, but due to this recent setback, this opportunity will no longer be an option.

Perez will now not be available for baseball activities until symptoms of his shoulder issue are behind him.

“The shorter he’s down,” Antonetti said, “the shorter the timeframe to get him back to game activity. If his symptoms linger for a longer period of time, that means it’s likely going to take longer on the other end.”

If Perez does return by the Tribe’s Opening Day game on April 2 against the Blue Jays, it will still be a situation where the Indians will be monitoring his every move and making sure he’s ready to fill the closer position.

One way or another, the Indians should consider trading the righty for prospects and let Pestano take over closer duties whether Perez comes back to full form or not.  

“The most important thing is to make sure that he puts the injury behind him, and once he comes back, he’s ready to go,” Antonetti said.

Regardless of the general manager’s comments, it would be a wiser decision to put Perez on the block and see what the Tribe can get in return.  

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Have you drafted your fantasy team yet?  

If you haven’t, there are sure a lot of fantastic third base options in this year’s draft.

Miguel Cabrera, David Wright, Adrian Beltre, Evan Longoria and Hanley Ramirez; with so many options at third base, it’s tough this year to decide at what order in the draft you should add your third baseman. 

If you have one of the top-three picks, it is without a doubt that Cabrera should be one of your top—if not a shoe-in—for your first pick.  The guy is a stud and produces year in and year out—2013 will not be an exception.

But what if the Padre third baseman is still available with the fourth or fifth pick in your draft?

If none of the above names are still in the mix—which they most likely will not be, with the exception of Ramirez—Headley will be a solid choice and a productive player for your team heading into the draft.

Headley just came off of a year where he won the Silver Slugger, led the National League in RBI with 115, had 31 home runs, 31 doubles, 95 runs scored, 17 stolen bases and a .286/.376/.498 slash line.   

Sure you may think these numbers won’t be replicated by someone playing in San Diego, but Headley can surprise you this year if you look at a few factors:

– First of all, he’s durable and has never experienced any significant injuries throughout his career.  

– He’s found his groove after a few years of uncertainty, but is now starting to produce similar numbers to what he put up playing in the Padres system.

– As a switch hitter, he’s more than likely going to benefit offensively from the fences coming in at Petco Park—especially from the left side of the plate.  

One player you should definitely keep your eyes on this year that could factor in to Headley‘s success is outfielder Carlos Quentin.  

If he can stay healthy and produce the way he did last year in a shortened season, he will not only provide solid protection behind Headley, but will surely drive him in a good number of times as well.

And don’t forget, that while Headley is not a huge threat on the base paths, he will still hit double digits in stolen bases consistently.  

With an abundance of third basemen so high up in the order, Headley can turn into a surprise mid-round pick for your team and should be considered just as productive as most third basemen in this year’s draft.  

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According to Troy Renck of the Denver Post, the Cleveland Indians are close to finalizing a minor league deal with former Rockies slugger Jason Giambi.  The contract would also include an invitation to spring training.  

The 41-year-old Giambi will be competing for a spot on the bench as a left-handed designated hitter and would give the Indians depth at first base.  

The 18-year veteran had a dismal year last season, batting .225 with only one home run, eight RBI and seven runs scored in 89 at-bats.  However, this was following a year where he hit .260 with 13 home runs, 32 RBI and 20 runs scored in only 131 at-bats playing part-time off the bench.  

Giambi is a lifetime .280 hitter, with 429 home runs, 1,405 RBI and 1,203 runs scored in 7,021 at-bats.  The former 2000 American League MVP is also a five-time All-Star, a two-time Silver Slugger and has received MVP votes seven times in his career, but has also never won a World Series ring in seven postseason appearances.  

Though Giambi is obviously way past his prime as far as a day-to-day player is concerned, he’ll still add valuable left-handed power off of the bench. If he can stay healthy, will almost certainly reach double digits in home runs, RBI and runs scored.  

However, does Giambi’s signing mean that the Indians will not be pursuing fan favorite Jim Thome?

Even though Giambi’s potential deal comes at very low risk to the Indians, from a fan and marketing perspective, they should have brought Thome back and let him retire in an Indians uniform.  

And though Giambi had a decent 2011 campaign, both he and Thome project to have the same kind of offensive significance going into 2013.  Both are massive left-handed power threats off the bench, so why not sign Thome over Giambi?  

Though fans may be disappointed that Thome will not be returning, this deal can only benefit the tribe if Giambi is able to stay healthy.   

Stay tuned…

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According to Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com, left-handed pitcher Dontrelle Willis has signed a minor league deal with the Chicago Cubs—the team who originally drafted him in the eighth round in 2000.  

The 2003 National League Rookie of the Year had originally retired from baseball in July.

Willis, who turns 31 next week, last pitched professionally for the Baltimore Orioles‘ Triple-A affiliate in 2012. He gave up eight runs in only 6.1 innings pitched and subsequently retired.

Ever since leaving the Florida Marlins—who he last pitched for in 2007—Willis has suffered from constant injuries and has struggled to regain form.  

The two-time All-Star, however, was lightning earlier in his career.

Willis led the league with 22 wins, seven complete games and five shutouts in 2005 while finishing second in Cy Young Award voting.  He also led the league with 35 games started in 2007—though he also was the leader in earned runs as well.

Though Willis’ current mindset seems to be focused on returning to baseball, he’s also no stranger to erratic behavior—as well as erratic pitching.  

After his horrific outing with the the Orioles’ minor league affiliate last year, Willis was placed on the restricted list for two months and later filed a grievance against the ball club after it demoted him to the bullpen.

He also hasn’t had anything lower than a 4.98 ERA since 2008 and has averaged 8.2 walks per nine innings in that span.  

Has his short time away from the game given him enough time to clear his head and focus on pitching?

Whether or not it has, this decision comes with little risk to the Cubs and could pay dividends if Willis can show a glimmer of his prior self.  

What do you think?  Will he be able to come back from five years of obscurity?  

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According to ESPN’s Buster Olney and the Los Angeles Times‘ Dylan Hernandez, the Los Angeles Dodgers have agreed to sign left-handed free-agent pitcher J.P. Howell to a reported one-year deal.

Howell, who turns 30 in April, had 3.04 ERA and 42 strikeouts in 50.1 innings pitched for the Tampa Bay Rays last season.  

Howell missed the entire 2010 season and part of 2011 due to shoulder surgery, but had two solid seasons with the Rays in 2008 (2.22 ERA with 92 strikeouts in 89.1 innings pitched) and 2009 (2.84 ERA with 79 strikeouts in 66.2 innings pitched).

The former 2004 first-round pick (31st overall) is also a native Californian and a former USC Trojan.  

He will join a Dodgers team that has not been afraid to spend this offseason and looks to be taking the place of the departed Randy Choate, who signed a three-year deal with the St. Louis Cardinals this offseason.

Will Howell come back to his prior form with a Dodgers team that looks to be the favorite in the National League West?

Time will tell.

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New York Yankees outfielder Curtis Granderson is in a very interesting situation going into the 2013 season.  

Granderson, who will be turning 32 in March, will most certainly be looking for a huge payday when he reaches free agency in 2014.  

Sure, the Yankees could hold on to him and potentially contend for another pennant in 2013, but they could also trade him before free agency hits and get valuable prospects in return.  

Though he has had issues hitting for average, one thing is for sure, he does not lack in power and production, averaging 42 home runs per year over the last two seasons.

It seems for every reason to keep Granderson, there’s another argument to trade him away.

Let’s take a look at four reasons the Yankees should consider dealing him before he hits the open market.  

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Heads or tails?  Heads, Adam LaRoche goes to the Boston Red Sox. Tails, he goes to the Washington Nationals.  You choose—at least that’s what it seems to have come down to this offseason.

Adam LaRoche just came off an awesome season with the NL East Champion Washington Nationals.  

In his ninth year in the big leagues, the first baseman hit .271 with 33 home runs, 100 RBI, 76 runs scored and recorded 155 hits in 571 at-bats.  He also won a Gold Glove, a Silver Slugger Award and finished sixth in National League MVP voting. 

The question is: Where will he go next season?

The Nationals have shown interest in bringing LaRoche back, but according to MLB.com’s Bill Ladson, the two parties are still nowhere close to an agreement.  LaRoche is looking for a three-year deal, and the Nationals aren’t willing to offer more than two.  

The Red Sox, who have shown interest in LaRoche ever since Mike Napoli showed signs of a potential hip issue, are another possible destination.  However, according to Peter Gammons, the Red Sox don’t want to surrender a draft pick or—like the Nationals—commit to a three-year deal. 

One thing is for certain though: Both teams need to make a decision soon.

The Nationals could go with either Michael Morse or Tyler Moore at first, but Manager Davey Johnson made it known during the Winter Meetings that he would like to have LaRoche return to the lineup in 2013.

The Red Sox, who are in desperate need of a run-producing first baseman ever since trading Adrian Gonzalez to the Los Angeles Dodgers last season, have to either work out an injury-contingent contract with Napoli (similar to J.D. Drew and John Lackey’s deals) or pull the trigger on LaRoche.

My guess is the Red Sox will sign LaRoche to a three-year deal—with Napoli heading to either the New York Mets or Yankees.  Is that a little too presumptuous? 

Either way, LaRoche will sign with someone in the very near future.

What do you think—where will LaRoche end up next year?

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The Toronto Blue Jays are arguably the favorite to win the American League East.  

It’s without doubt that they have had the most busy offseason of any team in Major League Baseball.

Alex Anthopoulos sent shockwaves through the baseball world when he acquired Jose Reyes, Josh Johnson, Mark Buehrle, John Buck and Emilio Bonifacio from the Miami Marlins in exchange for a group of prospects, Yunel Escobar and Henderson Alvarez.  

They followed that up by signing Melky Cabrera to a two-year, $16 million dollar deal.  And though he forfeited the National League batting title to now-former teammate Buster Posey, Cabrera is finally coming into his own and is showing that he can swing the bat—performance enhanced or not.  

And if that wasn’t enough, Anthopoulos also acquired reigning National League Cy Young Award winner R.A. Dickey (along with Josh Thole and Mike Nickeas) in exchange for recently acquired John Buck and prospects Travis d’Arnaud, Noah Syndergaard and Wuilmer Becerra.  The Blue Jays also agreed to a three-year extension with Dickey as part of the deal. 

Adding those pieces to a team that already featured hitters Jose Bautista, Brett Lawrie, Edwin Encarnacion, Colby Rasmus and Adam Lind and starting pitchers Ricky Romero, Brandon Morrow and J.A. Happ gives the Blue Jays by far the most complete and imposing lineup on paper.

But will this group perform well together and, more importantly, contend for a World Series championship (which they haven’t won since 1993)?

The Blue Jays definitely have the most to prove of any team in Major League Baseball.  

With a lineup full of star names, it’s left to be determined whether or not they will have the chemistry and ability to work together as a team.  And though they currently look to be the dominant force in the American League East, they still have to compete against the New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox, Tampa Bay Rays and Baltimore Orioles, who all have potent lineups in their own rights.

Will the Toronto Blue Jays have what it takes to top the standings in the American League East?  

Will general manager Alex Anthopoulos look to be a genius for his acquisitions?

Only time will tell…

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